Category: Songs

Following what has been more than a year long hiatus with respect to releasing new music, New Bedford’s Caliph makes his return as he recruits Obeatz to unleash his new single “Green Faces”.

While many listeners may initially be drawn towards the sound of his music alone, it’s what Caliph speaks on, and stands for, that has helped him amass a deep-rooted following. “Green Faces” circulates around the struggles of striving towards one’s goals while being an immigrant in the United States. This theme has been prevalent within a large portion of Caliph’s discography, and for rightful reasons, as the African-born artist has been a defying the odds for his entire life. No matter the set of circumstances, Caliph has persisted through the shadows and come out an extremely formidable human being. This was perfectly represented in 2018 when he won a Grammy for his role in American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom, which was composed entirely of artists that were DACA recipients. When listening to Caliph’s music, that what you hear — the voice of hope. He’s continually been outspoken against social issues, and has made it a personal mission of his to become a voice for the disenfranchised.

Possessing a lengthy resume that’s full of some truly staggering accomplishments, there’s no better example of perseverance than Caliph, especially on his latest single “Green Faces”.

Following a lengthy trip to some of the most beautiful corners of our planet, Maka is back with an airy single that’s appropriately titled “Rainforest”.

Starting off with an ethereal entrance that gradually picks up power with each passing second, “Rainforest” is only the most recent stellar component to be added to Maka’s already solid musical catalog. He possesses a very eclectic taste in music, which is something that can be noted by the widespread versatility that’s prevalent within his discography. This blend in styles is perfectly represented just after the two minute mark of “Rainforest” when Maka repurposes a segment of 50 Cent’s notorious single “In Da Club”. Whether it be his blissful ability to harmonize, proficient production skills, or his tactful wordplay, Maka simply knows how to deliver.

If you’ve been keeping your ears open to the music rising out of Massachusetts, it’d be safe to assume that you’re familiar with Brockton’s Van Buren Records. With a team of unique and polished artists that includes growing acts such as Jiles, Luke Bar$ and Saint Lyor — they’re a collective that is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

Playing an instrumental role in this group is Lord Felix, but despite being at the epicenter of one of the more prominent collectives in the area, Lord Felix himself has been rather silent thus far in 2020. Other than his handful of features, the man behind the infamous mask has remained somewhat reserved since his victory as Best New Artist at the Boston Music Awards this past December. Now with the release of his newest single “Bad Bwodie”, it appears as though Lord Felix’s silence over the last few months has been spent building momentum — the pulling back of an arrow with the intention of a powerful release.

The single, released in tandem with a short clip entitled “Hometown Hero”, reverberates an anthem of triumph. Produced by MultiplePetes, a Boston native who astonishingly balances law school and music, Lord Felix rides the track with high energy and prideful lyrics, undoubtedly mirroring feelings still lingering from a breakthrough year in 2019. “Wifey ‘round my arm cuz she watched me beat the odds!” he proclaims in victory.

From the energy and magnitude of this single, one can only assume that Lord Felix, along with the rest of his Van Buren clique, have big things coming on the horizon. As his sound continues to refine with each coming release, it is safe to say that if you’re not paying attention to Lord Felix right now, you should be.

Brevin Kim, a duo of brothers from the Greater Boston area, release “swim!” and announce that they have a collab EP with Lil West that’s set to drop this upcoming Friday.

Consistent with the majority of the pair’s discography, both Bren and Cal play somewhat of a balancing act throughout “swim!”. Bren sings with an overwhelmed, almost aching torment that revolves around the various hurdles that life throws one’s way. Just when his thoughts seem to spiral out of control, Cal arrives with the important reminder to “swim” as Bren belts out, “it’s hard to forget, when you’re focused on forgetting”. Not only does their lyricism evoke a vast amount of emotion, but the manner in which they deliver these lyrics takes that feeling and expands it exponentially. In short, “swim!” is a powerful anecdote that emphasizes the necessity to persevere through the depths of life’s tumultuous moments. No matter how bad things may seem — we can never give up.

When it comes to crafting one’s own sound, there aren’t many artists within the state of Massachusetts — or elsewhere for that matter — that can compete with Pistola. The Boston rapper’s latest single “Sellin’ Dreams” certainly helps to reinforce this statement, as Pistola delivers yet another undeniable track for his listeners.

Known mostly for his past singles “Swang” and “P.I.S.T.O.L.A.”, Pistola is no stranger when it comes to the Massachusetts music community. He’s never been one to shy away from experimenting within his catalog of music, something that’s ultimately been a key factor in his overall development as an artist. Utilizing a sound like feels almost intergalactic, time and time again Pistola manages to float on each instrumental that crosses his path with ease. In my eyes, he’s been making his best music as of late, with both “Sellin’ Dreams” and “Disstracktoeverybodyidontlike” being living proof that Pistola is more determined than ever to make exceptional music.

Following up his February release of “Don Ricardo Drive [Paranoia]” is Brockton’s Packy Marciano with a highly expressive single titled “Groundhog Day”.

Equipped with artwork that depicts Packy as Bill Murray on the cover of the 1993 film Groundhog Day — this offering is of a much more serene, laid-back feel than the typical releases that have filled Packy Marciano’s discography up through this point in time. Utilizing a combination of humorous, yet meaningful bars and powerful vocals, “Groundhog Day” serves as a glimpse towards the future of what this Brockton artist has to offer. Rather than limiting his creativity and remaining confined to a box, Packy is on a mission to break the cycle and share his multifaceted artistry with his listeners in a holistic fashion. Yet another example of the vast amount of talent prevalent within Brockton, MA — make sure to keep Packy Marciano on your radar in 2020.

Go get a brand new fit from the Burlington Coat Factory and listen to Packy Marciano’s “Groundhog Day” below:

Chelsea’s Donald Grunge makes his long-awaited return to the Graduation Music site today with an incredibly hypnotic offering titled “Cantaloupe”.

Serving as the first addition to his discography since the December 2018 release of his ‘Cowboy Talk’ project, “Cantaloupe” features a soft-spoken, poised Grunge who makes use of some highly meticulous wordplay and melodies. Jonny Doobs was tasked with production here, and similar to their collaboration on “Time After Time” — “Cantaloupe” aligns as a solid example of Grunge’s multi-faceted artistry. Capable of making both boisterous, high-energy records alongside tracks that can accurately depict some of the more somber moments of life — there’s truly no telling which direction Grunge will take with each new addition to his musical catalog. No matter which path he takes, one thing remains consistent, and it’s that Donald Grunge simply fails to miss. Hopefully “Cantaloupe” is proof that the Chelsea native has more to come as 2019 comes to a close.